Zimbabwe: UK Visas

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What instructions have been given to the High Commission in Harare regarding the granting of visas to visit or study in the United Kingdom and the political or quasi-political activities of applicants.

Baroness Amos: The High Commission implements the rules governing visit and student visas. It and the FCO are working on a watch list of Zimbabwean nationals whose presence here may not be conducive to the public good. The list would be used on a discretionary basis to deny such people a UK visa.

Zimbabwe: UK Visas

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they have taken to consult non-governmental organisations and civil society groups in Zimbabwe and bodies such as the Accountability Commission in London to help determine whether there might be a good case prima facie for refusing certain visa applications.

Baroness Amos: Our High Commission in Harare is in regular contact with NGOs and civil society groups in Zimbabwe.
	The High Commission follows immigration laws fully in deciding whether an individual should qualify for a UK visa. In individual cases there may be grounds for additional screening of applicants' backgrounds and for withholding visas if their presence here is considered to be not conducive to the public good.

Zimbabwe: UK Visas

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether consideration has been given to drawing up an advisory list of Zimbabwean nationals to whom, because of their known involvement in crimes of violence and political intimidation, visas to visit the United Kingdom should not be granted.

Baroness Amos: The High Commission and the FCO are working on a comprehensive watch list of Zimbabwean nationals whose presence here may not be conducive to the public good. The list would be used, on a discretionary basis, to deny such people a UK visa.

Racist Incidents: Police Service

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether police forces have been undertaking surveys of satisfaction for victims of racist attacks; and whether any national analysis of the satisfaction level is available.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: There is a new best value indicator for 2002–03 which requires police forces to undertake surveys to determine the level of victims of racist incidents who were satisfied with the police service when dealing with the incident. This information will not be collected centrally until after May 2003.

Taking Game without a Licence

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prosecutions for taking game without a licence there have been in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Taking game without a licence is an offence under Section 23 of the Game Act 1831. The number of defendants prosecuted for taking game without a game licence cannot be separately identified in information held centrally on the Home Offices's Court Proceedings Database, from the number of defendants prosecuted for the offences of laying poison to destroy game, taking or destroying eggs of game, killing game on Sunday or Christmas Day, killing game out of season and the occupier of land killing game without authority under Sections 3, 12 and 24 of the Act.
	It is also an offence under the Game Licences Act 1860, but these similarly cannot be distinguished from other offences under this Act.
	The number of defendants proceeded against for all the offences mentioned above under the Game Act 1831 during 2001 in England and Wales was seven and under the Game Licences Act 1860 was also seven.
	Figures for Scotland show that there were nil and four defendants proceeded against under these statutes respectively during 2001.
	The latest figures available for Northern Ireland relate to 1999, which show that no proceedings were taken under these statutes in that year.

Centrex

Baroness Hayman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made any new appointments to the board of the Central Police Training and Development Authority (Centrex).

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor David Croisdale-Appleby to the board of the Central Police Training and Development Authority. Professor Croisdale-Appleby will be taking up his duties immediately.
	He is a visiting professor of strategic marketing and communications at Strathclyde University, and these skills will be of immense value to the board. He has extensive experience as a board member with various bodies, and has been a CEO of major international marketing and advertising businesses. He was recently invited by the Lord Chancellor's office to become a member of the Family Health Services Appeal Authority and for one year was seconded to run a firm of solicitors specialising in criminal and family law.
	Professor Croisdale-Appleby joins the board at a time when Centrex is still finding its feet, having only been established as an executive non-departmental public body on 1 April last year. Centrex has a pivotal role to play in developing policing excellence, charged as it is with new police recruit training, and developing leadership skills within the police service. In addition to providing support and consultancy to forces, both domestic and international, on operational policing matters, Centrex is leading the way on alternative learning technologies through its new web-based learning portal. Centrex is also establishing the National Centre for Policing Excellence, which will identify and disseminate good policing practice, such as the new street crime knowledge map, and develop regulations and codes of practice for effective operational policing.

Exceptional Leave to Remain

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether those whose exceptional leave to remain is not renewed will have the option of applying for naturalisation as British subjects.

Lord Filkin: We can see no circumstances in which people refused leave to remain could meet the criteria for naturalisation.

Citizenship Advisory Group

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made by the committee chaired by Sir Bernard Crick on citizenship; when the committee will report to Ministers; and when the committee's report will be published.

Lord Filkin: The advisory group chaired by Sir Bernard Crick is due to meet for the fifth time in mid-January 2003 and intends submitting an interim report to Ministers shortly thereafter. Sir Bernard has already consulted a number of interested parties and there will be a further round of informal consultation early in the new year. The group hopes to make a final report around Easter 2003.

Naturalisation Knowledge Requirements:Sign Language

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What discussions they have held with the British Deaf Association and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf about including sign language as a language, the sufficient knowledge of which could give a person the opportunity to make a successful application for naturalisation as a consequence of the implementation of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Lord Filkin: As mentioned in the letter I sent to the noble Baroness on 3 October, the British Deaf Association and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf were two of the organisations we consulted during the summer on the role of sign language in naturalisation knowledge requirements. As a result of these consultations we concluded that the best course was to waive these requirements for those with serious hearing disabilities.

Immigration Controls

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to strengthen immigration control to ensure that people coming into the United Kingdom do so in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

Lord Filkin: The Government are firmly committed to maintaining effective immigration controls and ensuring that genuine passengers are able to pass through our ports with the least possible delay.
	For some years the number of Jamaican passengers being refused entry on arrival in the United Kingdom has been increasing—nearly 3,500, or 6 per cent, of arrivals last year. The number of Jamaicans who abscond having been given temporary admission is also unacceptably high—more than 150 a month during the first half of this year. These problems create enormous pressures for the Immigration Service but also lead to unacceptable delays and inconvenience for the great majority of genuine travellers from Jamaica. The situation can best be demonstrated by looking at the period leading up to Christmas. During the six weeks to 17 December 2002, 1,233 Jamaican nationals were refused entry at the UK's 12 busiest ports. This represented nearly 20 per cent of all refusals at those ports during that period. The only effective way of easing these problems is to ensure that Jamaican passengers have demonstrated that they qualify to enter the United Kingdom before they embark for this country. In the circumstances we have decided to impose a visa regime on all Jamaican nationals wishing to visit the United Kingdom.
	We would want to provide reassurance that the presence of a visa regime should not be a bar to those Jamaican nationals who genuinely wish to visit the United Kingdom. The rules under which decisions are made are the same whether that decision is made on arrival or before. This visa regime simply allows officials to consider the application before the passenger embarks for the United Kingdom. Providing greater certainty that a person has satisfied the Immigration Rules will also smooth the passage of genuine visitors through the immigration controls, giving advantage to all concerned.

RPIX

Lord Jacobs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) what is the increase in the retail prices index, excluding mortgage payments (RPIX), as compared with the relevant month a year ago for each of the 12 months ending 30 November; and
	(b) in respect of each month, what was the figure for the depreciation of owner occupied houses which has been a component of the index since 1995; and
	(c) what percentage this represents for each of the relevant months' figures.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from the Director of Macroeconomics and Labour Market, Office for National Statistics, Colin Mowl, dated 7 January 2003.
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX). I am replying in his absence.
	The figures are provided in the table below. In the first two columns for RPIX and house depreciation respectively the percentage change over 12 months relates to the percentage change in the relevant index number compared with the same month a year earlier. The third column shows the percentage change over 12 months for RPIX with the house depreciation component excluded.
	Each component of RPIX has a weight equal to its proportion of the total expenditure on goods and services by households covered by the index. The weight for house depreciation given in the final column represents the expenditure that owner-occupiers would find necessary to maintain their houses at constant quality expressed as a percentage of total household expenditure. RPI weights are updated each February.
	
		Percentage change over 12 months in RPIX and house depreciation & the weight of house depreciation in RPIX.
		
			  Percentage change over 12 months 
			  RPIX House Depreciation RPIX Excluding Depreciation Weight of House Depreciation in RPIX (%) 
			 Dec 2001 1.9 7.7 1.7 4.19 
			 Jan 2002 2.6 8.3 2.3 4.19 
			 Feb 2.2 6.5 2.0 4.15 
			 Mar 2.3 6.6 2.0 4.15 
			 Apr 2.3 7.8 2.1 4.15 
			 May 1.8 8.6 1.5 4.15 
			 Jun 1.5 10.6 1.1 4.15 
			 Jul 2.0 11.8 1.5 4.15 
			 Aug 1.9 12.7 1.4 4.15 
			 Sep 2.1 13.4 1.6 4.15 
			 Oct 2.3 16.0 1.8 4.15 
			 Nov 2.8 19.3 2.1 4.15 
		
	
	The percentage changes over 12 months for RPIX, depreciation and RPIX excluding depreciation are published each month in table 2 of the Consumer Price Indices First Release and on the National Statistics Website www.statistics.gov.uk.

Service Personnel Museums

Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to carry out a business process review of the six principal service personnel museums.

Lord Bach: A business process review of the six principal service personnel museums is to be carried out by the Ministry of Defence. These organisations have non-departmental public bodies designation and receive grants in aid from the MoD. They are the Royal Naval Museum, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, the Fleet Air Arm Museum, the Royal Marines Museum, the National Army Museum and the Royal Air Force Museum. The previous review, termed a quinquennial review, was completed in March 1997.
	Preliminary work has defined the scope of the study. The second phase will begin shortly and is expected to be completed within six months. The aim of the review is to examine the function, role, operation, funding and organisation of the museums, to seek to identify key objectives and performance and to determine whether their current status is most appropriate to future needs.
	The review team will consult with a range of stakeholders during the course of the review, including the museum directors, staff and trustees, MoD and single service sponsors, TUs, local government, other government departments and other museums. The Ministry of Defence is interested also to hear the views of other organisations or individuals who would like to make a contribution to the review. Those wishing to do so should send their contributions by 28 February 2003 to:
	The Museums Business Process Review Team
	Open Plan Area, 2nd Floor
	Ministry of Defence
	St Giles Court
	1-13 St Giles High Street
	London WC2H 8LD
	or by email to:
	dgmo-musbrhd@defence.mod.uk

Meteor Air-to-air Missile

Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When a contract will be placed for the Meteor air-to-air missile.

Lord Bach: We are pleased to inform the House that the contract for the Meteor air-to-air missile for the RAF's Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft was placed with MBDA on 23 December 2002. This followed the signature of the Meteor MOU by Germany, the last of the six partner nations (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK) to sign, which permitted the UK, as lead nation, to sign the contract with MBDA.
	Meteor is a key element of the Government's commitment to provide the best possible equipment for the Armed Forces. It will ensure Typhoon has the capability to combat predicted air-to-air threats thereby meeting our requirement to maintain air superiority well into the future.
	This is extremely good news for British and European industry, sustaining high quality jobs in new technology and in system and software design. Furthermore, it puts MBDA at the forefront of a strengthened European missile defence industry and enhances export prospects for Typhoon.
	When my right honourable friend the Defence Secretary (Mr Hoon) announced, on 16 May 2000, (Official Report, cols 149–51) in another place, the decision to select Meteor as the beyond visual range air-to-air missile to arm Typhoon, we agreed to publish the details of the breakpoints and determination of when these assessments will be made once the memorandum of understanding was established. Now that this has been achieved, we can confirm that the contract includes four breakpoints as follows:
	Demonstration of Ramjet propulsion system (Boost to sustain motor transition and sustain motor operation)—at month 40 of the programme.
	Demonstration of guidance and control of the asymmetric airframe—at month 45 of the programme.
	Demonstration of the effectiveness of aircraft to missile transfer alignment process via data links—at month 45 of the programme.
	Demonstration of electronic protection measures—at month 51 of the programme.
	The process for the independent assessment of the achievement of the milestones, and for securing partner nation agreement that they have been either achieved or failed, is set out in the MOU, copies of which will shortly be placed in the Library of the House. If MBDA fails to achieve any of the milestones, partner nations will be able to terminate the contract and recover all moneys paid. maria

Seaside Resorts: Development Funding

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What development funding has been allocated by the Government and the European Union to seaside resorts in 2002 to date.

Lord Rooker: There are no specific allocations for seaside resorts. However, a number of resorts are located within Objective 1 and 2 and INTERREG areas and therefore will benefit from Euopean funding.
	The readily available data for European Funding of projects in seaside resorts (broadly interpreted) is contained in the table below. The sums are grants approved during 2002 for projects located in or around coastal towns. Projects may (and often do) run for a number of years following approval.
	Additional to the sums mentioned, there is match funding—which applicants provide from other, including non-public, sources.
	
		
			 Region Seaside Resort Project Title Allocation of European Structural Funds 
			 East of England Lowestoft Lowestoft Enterprise Park—Silk Cutters House ERDF £285,000.00 
			 East of England Lowestoft Lowestoft Town Centre/Seafront Regeneration Scheme ERDF £4,709,097.00 
			 East of England Lowestoft Lowestoft Enterprise Park Extension ERDF £201,398.00 
			 East of England Cromer Cromer Seafront Enhancement Programme ERDF £1,485,000.00 
			 East of England Cromer Cromer Community Participation Project ERDF £69,325.00 
			 East of England Great Yarmouth Community Resource Centres ERDF £871,000.00 
			 East of England Sheringham North Norfolk Railway—Infrastructure Project ERDF £213,900.00 
			 East of England Sheringham Integrated Visitor Facilities—Sheringham Park ERDF £286,485.00 
			 East of England Norfolk Sustainable Tourism Project—Titchwell Nature Reserve ERDF £64,983.00 
			 North West Southport ICT @ Southport ESF £50,873 
			 North West Southport Southport Business Park Phases 1&2 ERDF £395,285 
			 North West Southport Southport Eco—Visitor Centre ERDF £390,000 
			 North West Southport Sandpipers Hotel Extension ERDF £550,068 
			 North West Southport Southport Seafront Pre-development ERDF £50,000 
			 North West Southport Sefton Integrated Tourism Initiative(1) ERDF £2,047,470 
			 North West Southport Merseyside Festival of Golf(2) ERDF £361,648 
			 North West Southport Southport Seafront Action Plan(3) ERDF £7,347,500 ESF £900,000 
			 North West Whitehaven Whitehaven Harbour ERDF £7,347,500 
			 North West Whitehaven Whitehaven Employment ERDF £83,845 
			 North West Furness and West Cumbria Coast Coastal Renaissance ERDF £440,000 
			 North West Workington Wiring up Workington ERDF £105,900 
			 North West Morecambe Employment Access Coordinator ERDF £99,985 
			 North West Morecambe Neighbourhood Wardens ERDF £98,000 
			 North West Morecambe ICT Information Shop ERDF £24,342 
			 North West Morecambe Access to Employment/Self Employment ERDF £75,143 
			 North West Morecambe CED Worker ERDF £60,000 
			 North West Barrow Made in Barrow ERDF £174,483 
			 North West Barrow Barrow Community Dance Project ERDF £35,467 
			 North West Barrow Creating a Thriving Moving Image in Barrow ERDF £38,538 
			 North West Barrow Barrow Incubator (Business Support) ERDF £772,278 
			 North West Blackpool Community Resource Centre ERDF £138,000 
			 North East North Shields Catering Training Project 3 ESF £105,289 
			 North East North Shields Commun-E-cate ESF £89,495 
			 North East Sunderland Integration 4 Asylum Seekers ESF £135,534 
			 North East Sunderland Community Learning ESF £57,063 
			 North East Hartlepool Web Academy Foundation ESF £12,335 
			 North East Hartlepool Web Academy Higher ESF £11,873 
			 North East Sunderland Business Training ESF £260,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Foundation Degrees ESF £214,673 
			 North East South Shields Skills for Success II ESF £12,794 
			 North East South Shields Lingua Training for Women ESF £8,482 
			 North East Hartlepool Employment Action Centre ESF £41,500 
			 North East Hartlepool HVDA Capacity Building ERDF £215,100 
			 North East Hartlepool Owton Manor Training Partnership ESF £181,155 
			 North East Hartlepool Community Promotion and Marketing Project ERDF £220,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Pre Vocational Training ESF £52,100 
			 North East Hartlepool Community Capacity Building ERDF £100,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Community Enterprise Support ERDF £50,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Jobs Build ESF £49,600 
			 North East Hartlepool Hartlepool Apprentices—Stage II ESF £38,700 
			 North East Hartlepool Targeted Training ESF £56,842 
			 North East Hartlepool ICT Learning Centres ERDF £451,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Money Wise Community Banking ERDF £50,000 
			 North East Hartlepool Vocational Skills Training ESF £45,800 
			 North East Hartlepool Training of Advice Workers ESF £35,500 
			 North East Hartlepool West View Community Learning Centre ERDF £23,000 
			 North East Hartlepool AMP ERDF £22,000 
			 North East Hartlepool ICT Vocational Skills Training ESF £44,200 
			 North East Hartlepool Volunteer Initiative Project ESF £238,594 
			 North East Hartlepool ICT Improving Employability ESF £188,950 
			 North East South Tyneside St Hilda's Outreach Centre—Phase 1 ERDF £54,000 
			 North East South Tyneside Cleadon Park Initiative ESF £38,062 
			 North East South Tyneside Training Programme in Care Work ESF £4,500 
			 North East South Tyneside Regina Project ESF £113,688 
			 North East South Tyneside Package Co-ordination and Capacity Building ERDF £36,565 
			 North East South Tyneside Social and Community Enterprise Ltd ERDF £88,963 
			 North East South Tyneside Revitalising Rekendyke ESF £98,995 
			 North East South Tyneside Sure Start All Saints Centre ERDF £100,000 
			 North East South Tyneside South Tyneside Peer Project ESF £34,342 
			 North East South Tyneside Simonside Neighbourhood Initiative ESF £65,865 
			 North East South Tyneside Community Recycling Initiative ESF £122,751 
			 North East South Tyneside Urban Fringe ILM ESF £94,342 
			 North East Sunderland CED Capacity/Co-ordination Phase 2 2000–2003 ERDF £69,115 
			 North East Sunderland Hendon Community Recycling Unit ERDF £125,210 
			 North East Sunderland Basic Skills Targeted Communities ESF £76,532 
			 North East Sunderland ILM Pennywell ERDF £129,310 
			 North East Sunderland Training for Employability ESF £79,368 
			 North East Sunderland Employment Opportunities in N. Sunderland ESF £224,922 
			 North East Sunderland St Marys and St Peters Community Project ERDF £40,000 
			 North East Sunderland E Skills to Employment ESF £228,310 
			 North East Sunderland Training Opportunities Project ESF £67,577 
			 North East Sunderland Busn and Schools Working Together ESF £40,088 
			 North East Sunderland Enterprise for all in Millfield ERDF £18,000 
			 North East Sunderland Guidance & Counselling ESFD £37,588 
			 North East Sunderland Call Centre Training ESF £75,492 
			 North East Sunderland Business Training ESF £55,475 
			 North East Sunderland Gates Electronic Village Hall ERDF £24,500 
			 North East Sunderland Training Centre for the Community ERDF £24,427 
			 North East Sunderland Construction Skills Learning Centre ERDF £150,000 
			 North East Sunderland Community Resources for Farringdon ERDF £51,709 
			 North East Sunderland Gates Electronic Village Hall ESF £54,978 
			 North East Sunderland Skills and Linkages ESF £197,639 
			 North East Sunderland A19 Youth Action Centre ERDF £110,000 
			 North East North Tyneside Resource Centre Balcony Project ERDF £28,174 
			 North East North Tyneside St Peter's Campus ERDF £100,000 
			 North East North Tyneside Target Communities Package Co-ordination (core) ERDF £33,127 
			 North East North Tyneside Longbentton Opportunity Centre ERDF £215,000 
			 North East North Tyneside Extended Learning Opportunities ESF £101,257 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Package Co-ordination ERDF £27,950 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Job Connect Intensive Support ESF £109,902 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland The Community Participation Project ERDF £59,944 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Victim Support Rural Areas ESF £16,617 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland West Redcar Community Development Project ERDF £40,000 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland FROG Community Audit Care ERDF £38,272 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland East Cleveland Community Employment Project ESF £19,578 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Moving Towards Employment ESF £35,920 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland ICT Learning Project ESF £19,430 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Education for All ESF £110,409 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Tees Valley Community Technologies Core ERDF £108,105 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Viceroy One Stop Advice and Guidance Shop (Core) ERDF £19,780 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Skinningrove Iron Valley—Places ERDF £9,000 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland Skinningrove Iron Valley—People ESF £44,034 
			 North East Redcar & Cleveland South Gare Enhancements ERDF £37,688 
			 South East Hastings Creativity and Innovation Project Pilot (Main) ERDF £29,000 
			 South East Thanet Encouraging Social Inclusion (Main) ERDF £26,400 
			 South East Hastings Small Business Support (Revenue) ERDF £102,853 
			 South East Thanet Community Advice, Liaison and Mediation (Main) ERDF £44,850 
			 South East Hastings Hastings Accommodation Upgrade Scheme (Space to stay) ERDF £375,000 
			 South East Thanet Business Networks and Cross Working (Main) ERDF £78,820 
			 South East Thanet Events ERDF £150,000 
			 South East Thanet Ramsgate Renaissance (Transitional) ERDF £171,320 
			 South East Thanet Waterfront Proposals Margate ERDF £183,500 
			 South East Thanet Waterfront Proposals Ramsgate ERDF £30,000 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Museum Strategy ERDF £170,000 
			 South East Thanet Green Tourism Strategy ERDF £140,000 
			 South East Hastings Town Centre Improvement Programme ERDF £187,000 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Tourism Grant Scheme ERDF £175,000 
			 South East Thanet Margate Harbour and Turner Centre (Main) ERDF £220,000 
			 South East Thanet Community Development Trust Strategic Management (Transitional) ERDF £84,000 
			 South East Thanet Community Resource Centre Development Programme (Transitional) ERDF £37,000 
			 South East Thanet Community Resource Centre Development Programme (Main) ERDF £41,000 
			 South East Thanet Neighbourhood Forum ERDF £190,000 
			 South East Thanet Community Development Trust Strategic Management (Main) ERDF £126,000 
			 South East Thanet Community Advice, Liaison and Mediation (Transitional) ERDF £29,900 
			 South East Hastings The Stade Net Shops Recovery ERDF £94,530 
			 South East Thanet Educational and Media Initiative (Main) ERDF £75,100 
			 South East Thanet Empty Properties and Public Places ERDF £72,751 
			 South East Hastings Increased Community Participation ERDF £452,507 
			 South East Hastings Community Facility ERDF £150,000 
			 South East Thanet Business Networks and Cross Working (Transitional) ERDF £81,180 
			 South East Thanet Viking Bay Enhancement ERDF £313,000 
			 South East Thanet Margate Pedestrian Connection ERDF £450,000 
			 South East Thanet Organisation and Development Fund (Main) ERDF £81,000 
			 South East Thanet Connectivity and Information (Transitional) ERDF £68,000 
			 South East Thanet Organisation and Development Fund (Transitional) ERDF £100,000 
			 South East Thanet Marketing and Communications (Transitional) ERDF £63,751 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Campus Phase 2 ERDF £700,000 
			 South East Thanet Encouraging Social Inclusion (Transitional) ERDF £128,750 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Innovation Centre ERDF £1,300,000 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Community Enterprise and Training Centre ERDF £84,675 
			 South East Hastings TA/SE Objective 2 Support Programme ERDF £20,812 
			 South East Hastings Small Business Support (Capital) ERDF £278,134 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Community Enterprise and Training Centre ERDF £143,000 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Business Support Strategy: Delivery Programme ERDF £489,830 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Business Support Strategy: Delivery Programme ERDF £620,000 
			 South East Kent Spatial Development (Trans) ERDF £1,004,166 
			 South East Hastings Pelham Boulevard ERDF £450,000 
			 South East Kent Spatial Development (Main) ERDF £235,545 
			 South East Hastings Hastings Sustainable Business Partnership ERDF £23,942 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Business Support Strategy: Delivery Programme ERDF £175,721 
			 South East Thanet Thanet Business Support Strategy: Delivery Programme ERDF £303,667 
			 South East Thanet Sure Start Thanet Millmead Project ERDF £125,000 
			 South East Thanet Stimulating Innovation and Enterpreneurship ERDF £123,534 
			 South East Thanet Sustainable Thanet Transitional ERDF £72,600 
			 South East Thanet Sustainable Thanet Main ERDF £48,400 
			 South East Thanet Asset Base Development Transitional ERDF £6,600 
			 South East Thanet Local Projects ERDF £63,195 
			 South East Thanet Local Projects ERDF £42,125 
			 South East Kent BOSCO INTERREG IIIA ERDF £38,211 
			 South East Brighton/Dover OCEAN I INTERREG IIIA ERDF £36,062 
			 South East E Sussex/Kent Beaches at Risk INTERREG IIIA ERDF £450,461 
			 South West Newquay Newquay for Excellence—Better Business Quality £980,928 
			 South West Newquay Newquay for Excellence—Better Business Skills £355,600 
			 South West Newquay Coast £247,720 
			 South West Falmouth Ponsharden Maritime Project, Pentryn £1,635,000 
			 South West Falmouth Sure Start for Employment £93,075 
			 South West Falmouth Access Online ICT Facility, Penryn £124,264 
			 South West Bude Work Works! £34,911 
			 South West Saltash Saltash Waterside—Phase 1 £162,007 
			 South West St Agnes South West Film Studios £2,018,800 
			 South West Penzance Digital Peninsula Network £235,835 
			 South West Penzance Penwith Centre £199,779 
			 South West Penzance Penwith Rural Workspace £38,959 
			 South West Newlyn Fishing Harbour and Surrounding Area Regeneration Study £16,800 
			 South West St Marys' The Specific Project for Agriculture in Scilly £297,468 
			 South West Isles of Scilly Tourism Champion £169,000 
			 South West Porthleven Porthleven Regeneration Strategy and Action Plan £12,500 
			 South West Mullion The Poldhu Marconi Centre £159,301 
			 South West Kynance Cove Developing the Public Product £308,000 
			 South West Looe Community Computer and Business Centre £109,225 
			 South West Looe Outer Harbour—Pre-Feasibility Study £15,000 
			 South West Looe Improvement of Fishing Port Facilities £89,451 
			 South West Polperro Improvement of Fishing Port Facilities £13,721 
			 South West Tintagel Tintagel Regeneration £781,416 
			 South West St Keverne Toppenrose Dairy £50,402 
			 South West Torbay Torbay Harbour Area Regeneration Phase I ERDF £1,556,533 
			 South West Torbay Paignton Zoo Living Coast Project ERDF £1,702,420 
			 South West Torbay Supply Chain Management for Tourism SMEs ERDF £103,900 
			 South West Torbay Destination South West ERDF £45,686 
			 South West Torbay Torquay Community Development Project ERDF £87,407 
			 South West Torbay Torbay Foyer ERDF £462,042 
			 South West Plymouth National Marine Aquarium Ocean Discovery Zone additional funds (in addition to £1,974,450 offered in 2001) ERDF £51,250 
			 South West Torbay Plymouth Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ERDF £213,464 
			 South West Plymouth Stonehouse and Millbay Neighbourhood Regeneration Project ERDF £511,863 
			 South West Plymouth Renew South West, White Goods Recycling in Sutton ERDF £59,750 
			 South West Plymouth Plymouth Workroute ESF £205,136 
			 South West North Devon, inc Appledore, Ilfracombe and Westward Ho! Capacity Building for Regeneration ERDF £158,813 
		
	
	(1) The Sefton Integrated Tourism Initiative (Phase 2) project covers all of Sefton and Merseyside but the majority of the project will be targeted at Southport as this is the major tourism area in Sefton. The grant shown above is for the project as a whole.
	(2) The Merseyside Festival of Golf is split between the major golf courses in the Southport area and also courses on the Wirral. The grant shown is for the project as a whole.
	(3) The Southport Seafront Action Plan project has been approved in principle but has not yet had an offer letter.
	General note: Some projects are area-based and, although they do not name a seaside resort, it is intended that one or more resorts should benefit from the ERDF/ESF approval.

Nuclear Power Stations

Lord Gray of Contin: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated timescale for the closing down of the remaining United Kingdom nuclear power stations.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Latest published company information on expected station closure dates is as follows:
	
		
			 Magnox Published Lifetime 
			 Calder Hall 2003 
			 Chapelcross 2005 
			 Bradwell 2002 
			 Sizewell A 2006 
			 Dungeness A 2006 
			 Oldbury 2008 
			 Wylfa 2010 
		
	
	
		
			 British Energy Published Lifetime 
			 Dungeness B 2008 
			 Hartlepool 2014 
			 Heysham 1 2014 
			 Heysham 2 2023 
			 Hinkley Point B 2011 
			 Hunterston B 2011 
			 Sizewell B 2035 
			 Torness 2023

Nuclear Power Stations

Lord Gray of Contin: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated timescale for the decommissioning of the remaining United Kingdom nuclear power stations when they no longer supply the National Grid.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Decommissioning of a nuclear power station, including details of timing, is a matter for the operator, taking into account the requirements of the regulatory authorities.

Americium: Export Control

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Atomic Energy (Americium) Order 2002 came into force on 1 December when the Dual-Use Items (Export Control) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2002 applied from 21 August.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There was no dependency between the two measures and therefore no particular need to bring them into force at the same time. The export control amendment occurred earlier due to the fact that routine amending regulation was pending in July and was hence readily available as a vehicle for introducing export control upon americium.

Wireless Telegraphy Regulations: Licence Renewal

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether under paragraph 4(m) of the Wireless Telegraphy (Public Fixed Wireless Licences) Regulations 2002 it is not possible for the Secretary of State to refuse to renew a licence.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: If the notice yet to be issued by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under Regulation 4 of the Wireless Telegraphy (Public Fixed Wireless Licences) Regulations 2002 were to contain the provision set out in paragraph (2) (m) of that regulation, under which each sucessful participant in the spectrum auction provided for in the regulations would have the option to renew their licences for two successive five-year periods, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry could not refuse to renew the licence if the option were exercised.

Hospital Admission: Declaration of Religious Affiliation

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why patients are asked to give their religious affiliation on admission to hospital when it appears that this information is not, or cannot be, passed on to chaplains who may give appropriate spiritual support.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Hospital chaplains have an important role to play in hospitals and their work is appreciated by many patients.
	Under the provisions of both the Data Protection Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidentiality, NHS hospitals must not disclose information about a patient's religious affiliation to chaplains for the purposes of spiritual care without first seeking the consent of the patient. The exceptions are where there is a statutory requirement to disclose or where a patient is incapable of providing consent and clinicians consider that disclosure is in the patient's best interests.
	It is possible for hospitals to seek consent when they collect information and we understand that there are hospital trusts where this is routinely done. The Department of Health is presently working with representatives of various faith groups to identify and share good practice examples of hospital admission systems which routinely seek consent for the relay of this information to chaplains and which work in an efficient manner.

Antenatal Clinics

Lord Northbourne: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of mothers and fathers (respectively) attending antenatal clinics have received advice not only on child birth and physical care of the young child but also on the emotional needs of young children and the kinds of care appropriate to fulfilling those needs.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, the antenatal services work closely with the postnatal services. Parents are given advice after the birth of the baby mainly through health visitors, who visit in the first six weeks after the birth of the child to provide guidance and support on the physical as well as the emotional needs of young children. The Birth to Five book is available free to all first-time mothers—usually handed out by the health visitor on the first visit after the mother has returned home with her baby rather than at the antenatal clinic. This is a complete guide to parenthood and covers the first five years of the child's life and includes caring for its emotional needs. peter

Antenatal Clinics

Lord Northbourne: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were:
	(a) the number of births registered in the most recent year for which statistics are available;
	(b) the number of mothers who attended antenatal clinics in the same year;
	(c) the number of fathers who attended antenatal clinics in the same year; and
	(d) the percentage of mothers and fathers (respectively) attending who followed through the whole course.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of births registered in 2001 for England and Wales was 594,634 live births and 3,159 stillbirths.
	The information relating to the number of mothers and fathers attending antenatal clinics is not collected centrally. However, relevant information relating to some specific activity in the National Health Service is published as part of the Reference Costs 2002 publication which gives the activity data for first and follow-up attendances in NHS Trust Antenatal clinics. This is available at www.doh.uk/nhsexec/refcosts.htm. An extract is as follows.
	Antenatal care provision, including courses of antenatal classes, is determined on the needs of women and their partners and there is also no central collection of statistics for these.
	
		National Schedule of Reference Costs-NHS Trusts Outpatient Maternity Services Attendance Data
		
			 Service code Ante-natal outpatients: NHS trusts No of first attendances No. of follow-up attendances 
			 MSA1 Mothers with substance abuse 4,733 9,993 
			 MDI1 Mothers with diabetes 5,082 21,081 
			 MOT1 Other 268,303 844,054 
			   Sub-Total NHS Trusts 278,118 875,128 
		
	
	
		
			 Service code Ante-natal outpatients: PCTs No. of first attendances No. of follow-up attendances 
			 MOT1 Other 210 436 
			  Sub-total PCTs 210 436 
			  Grand totals 278,328 875,564 
		
	
	Data based on financial year 2001: source data: Reference Costs 2002 publication. NB: Service not provided by PMS+sites. Activity available for mother only; father may/may not also attend, but is not counted/costed.

NHS Capital Allocations

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will announce the 2003–04 to 2005–06 National Health Service capital allocations.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We are announcing capital allocations for the National Health Service for the next three years today. This is consistent with the revenue budget allocations which were issued late last year.
	Capital allocations are made to the NHS in two parts. Operational capital is for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing existing capital stock and is made direct to NHS trusts and primary care trusts. Strategic capital, which is allocated direct to all strategic health authorities (StHAs), is for distribution at their own discretion for larger scale investments.
	Total operational capital is increasing by 10 per cent in each of the three years 2003–04 and 2005–06. The growth in strategic capital in the StHAs is 13 per cent, 11 per cent, 14 per cent for each of the three years. The residue of the capital is being held centrally—the largest being for information technology where £400 million is being held for 2003–04, £700 million for 2004–05 and £1.2 billion for 2005–06.
	This is the first time that day-to-day operational capital has been allocated directly to NHS StHAs, trusts and primary care trusts.
	This is the first time that capital allocations have been made for three years rather than one year, allowing the local NHS to plan with confidence and certainty for the future.
	In addition, allocations have been informed by a new funding formula for both operational and strategic capital to give a nationally consistent and fairer basis for the distribution of funds.
	Of the money allocated to StHAs, £100 million is for the establishment of a local access incentive fund. The purpose is to reward NHS trusts and primary care trusts which make rapid progress in improving access to NHS treatment. Clearly this could include any of the NHS plan targets for access, both in hospital and primary care. Initially, however, we expect the main focus to be on:
	(a) reducing waiting times in accident and emergency (A&E) (progress towards the maximum four hour total wait in A&E);
	(b) reducing in-patient and out-patient waiting times (progress towards the maximum six month waiting time target and the maximum 13-week wait);
	(c) reducing in-patient and out-patient waiting lists.
	Details of the allocations and an explanation of the new funding formulae have been placed in the Library.

Game Licences

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) what is the present price of a game licence;
	(b) when the price of this licence was last changed;
	(c) how many game licences have been issued during the most recent year for which figures are available;
	(d) how many post offices in the United Kingdom are able to supply game licences;
	(e) what is the total gross annual revenue from such licences;
	(f) what is the total annual cost of administering the scheme; and
	(v) whether they regard the game licence as a necessary and cost-effective way of raising revenue.

Lord Whitty: The present price of an annual licence to kill game is £6. A period licence to kill game and a gamekeeper's licence each cost £4. A 14-day licence to kill game costs £2. A game dealer's licence costs £4. Those licences may be obtained through any post office. The price of a game licence was last changed in 1968 by a Treasury order which increased the fees set in the Game Licences Act 1860 by 100 per cent.
	In the year 2001–02, the total number of game licences issued by post offices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland was 48,385. The toal gross annual revenue from those licences was £251,884. The total annual cost of administering the scheme for 2001–02 is estimated at £261,900 plus VAT.
	In addition to the licences referred to above, district councils and London borough councils issue licences to deal in game. No figures are collected centrally for the numbers of licences issued by councils. We understand that arrangements and charges vary.
	Central government do not benefit from the revenue from game licences. The income is received by district councils and London borough councils, in which the duty to issue licences is vested. We acknowledge that the game licensing system is complex and derives from 19th century legislation. The Government are aware of concerns over the operation of the game licensing regime.

Fishing Industry

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 16 December (HL Deb, cols. 477–478), whether they believe that the British fishing industry would have "serious problems" (HL Deb, col. 465, paragraph 6) if the United Kingdom had retained control of her fish, amounting to 75 per cent of the fish which swam in European Economic Community waters, instead of ceding control of them to the common fisheries policy.

Lord Whitty: It is impossible to say what decisions successive UK governments might have taken over the last 20 to 30 years if there had been no common fisheries policy and what impact these decisions would have had. However, we cannot claim that 75 per cent of stocks were our fish. The UK historically only controlled its territorial waters and many UK fishermen took their catches in international waters.

Fallen Stock

Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What owners of stock should do with fallen stock when new regulations come into force next year which prohibit them from burying animals which have died.

Lord Whitty: The usual routes for disposal of fallen stock are by rendering, incineration or taking to an approved knacker or hunt kennel. These will continue to be permitted when the new EU legislation, the Animal By-Products Regulation, applies in member states from 30 April 2003. The regulation will ban the on-farm burial or burning of animal carcasses. The only exceptions from the ban would be for remote areas (parts of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland) and during outbreaks of notifiable disease if there were a lack of capacity at rendering plants and incinerators or if transport of the carcasses would spread disease.
	Under the TSE (England) Regulations 2002 there is a legal obligation to notify the competent authority or their agents of the discovery of all fallen bovines aged over 24 months other than those killed for welfare reasons. The agents in this case are Animal Handling Facilities Ltd (AHF). Once they have been notified of the fallen animal they will arrange for the animal to be collected, sampled and the carcass destroyed free of charge.

Youth Parliament Manifesto

Lord Elton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 19 December (HL404), when they intend to publish their response to the United Kingdom Youth Parliament's Manifesto and Agenda for Action 2002.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The CYPU intends to publish the Government's response to the document by late spring 2003. We will send a copy of the response to my noble friend and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

Spending Review Fixed Assets: Roads and Railways

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of table 4.1 in the 2002 Spending Review—Departmental Investment Strategies: A Summary (Cm 5674), whether roads and railways are included in the asset value of £62,996 million; and, if so, what is the value and basis for valuation of each category.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Table 4.1 of 2002 Spending Review—Departmental Investment Strategies: A Summary (Cm 5674) records the total value of fixed assets owned by each government department as at 31 March 2001. These figures reflect those given in each department's published resource accounts for 2000–01. A figure of £62,996 million is given for the former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). This included some £23 million of intangible assets, £61,084 million of tangible assets and £1,890 million of investments.
	The tangible assets included £59,773 million as the net book value of the trunk road network. In general terms, roads that are "open for traffic" are valued on the basis of their estimated depreciated replacement cost. Roads (or parts of roads such as additional lanes) that are still under construction are valued on the basis of the capital expenditure incurred to date on their construction. The last full revaluation of the trunk road network was carried out by professional surveyors, as at 31 March 2000. This valuation was carried out mainly using internal unit costing and physical asset records provided by the Highways Agency. Certain large structures, for example the QEII Bridge, and roadside communications were valued at historic cost, appropriately indexed. For other large structures, insurance valuations were used as the best approximation to the replacement cost. The valuations were indexed to 31 March 2001 to reflect changes in the Road Construction Tender Price Index.
	Since privatisation, the main railways assets—the infrastructure and rolling stock— have been held in the private sector and therefore did not appear in the figures for tangible assets held by DETR. However, the figure for total investments included a National Loans Fund loan to the British Railways Board of some £481 million. Various minor shareholdings in the form of special shares in rail-related companies are not valued but are noted in view of the insignificant amounts involved. These holdings are listed in Note 12 of the DETR Resource Accounts 2000–01

Goods Operator Licences: Red Diesel Offences

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Traffic Commissioners can properly consider a goods vehicle operator to be of good repute if that operator has been detected using red diesel rather than derv, which attracts a much higher rate of fuel duty.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The detection and prosecution of red diesel offences is the responsibility of HM Customs and Excise. If a goods vehicle operator is convicted of such an offence, then the Traffic Commissioner will be informed. Traffic Commissioners can take this information into account in determining whether the operator is of good repute, which is one of the requirements for holding a goods operator's licence.

Connex

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the financial justification for the Strategic Rail Authority giving an extra £58 million of taxpayers' money to Connex to operate its rail franchise next year; and why this franchise was not cancelled and put out to retender, as provided for under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, as amended by Section 212 of the Transport Act 2000.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) provided Connex with a further £58 million on 11 December 2002 to stabilise the loss-making franchise during 2003 and to allow negotiations to take place to establish an amended agreement for Connex to operate services to the end of 2006. Connex's franchise would then expire and be replaced by an all-Kent franchise, to include high-speed domestic services on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link to London St Pancras, for which the SRA plans to start a competition in 2004. It is the SRA's view that £58 million, as a minimum, would have been payable to any alternative operator in any other scenario.

Department of Transport Expenditure

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the budget for expenditure of the Department for Transport for the current financial year; and what are the latest estimates for expenditure to date, forecast to year end.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Department for Transport expenditure limit (DEL) for 2002–03 is £8,928,473,000. Latest estimates of expenditure show that by the end of November the department had spent approximately 68 per cent of its DEL. The department is currently forecasting to spend close to budget this year.

Pedal Cycles: Rear Lamps

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 9 December (WA8–9) and 16 December (WA84), why they will not consider allowing cyclists to use flashing lamps as an alternative to steady lamps; and
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 9 December (WA8–9) and 16 December (WA84), whether the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 will be amended to permit the use of flashing red lamps to the rear by cyclists, as recommended in their research into motor vehicles and pedal cycle conspicuity.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Research carried out for the Department for Transport concluded that flashing lamps offer no conspicuity benefits over steady lamps but they could help provide a special light characteristic that would be associated with vulnerable users. As there is currently no standard for them, the Government are currently only proposing to allow them as optional lamps to be used in conjunction with steady lamps, which are required to conform to the British Standard.
	The Department for Transport is intending to carry out a public consultation exercise in early 2003 on proposals to amend the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 which would allow the use of flashing red rear lamps on pedal cycles.

Strategic Rail Authority Personnel

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 18 December (WA106), whether they will provide the names of personnel in each position shown on the organisation chart of the Strategic Rail Authority.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The names of the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA's) executive directors can be found in the SRA's Annual Report 2001–02, copies of which are in the Library of the House. It is not considered either appropriate or necessary to attach names to other posts, as all communications are handled centrally by the SRA's Parliamentary and Public Communications Team, which consults with colleagues as required.

MV "Prestige"

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How often MV "Prestige" called at Spanish ports in the last five years; at which ports it called; and when such visits were made.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Commercial records of ship movements indicate that the MV "Prestige" called at Algeciras on 16 March 1998 and Las Palmas on 20 March 1998.